After Alabasta
by Dootsyblue
Summary: After an embarrassing incident after Alabasta, Zoro and Nami realise they may not just be Nakama... Read and hopefully enjoy! Chapter 2 UP!
1. Chapter 1

**And welcome to a light ZoNa fanfic oneshot! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. It's only my second story on here, so please be kind! I'm not actually sure what flaming is, but I gather it's a negative thing so please don't! Sorry if the layout's dumb as well but I have no clue how to format this on here. **

**Also, apologies if you don't support ZoNa; I don't actually either but I'm just practising writing techniques and I've never written anything in the romance genre so I thought I'd use two of my favourite characters to-**

**Luffy: Get on with the story now Dootsy! I wanna see Zoro and Nami kiss! Shishishishi!**

**Dootsy: Um, I'm not sure I'm gonna include that cause- ah, never mind. **

**Luffy: CURTAIN RISES!**

**Dootsy: *sweatdrop* It's not a play, Luffy.**

**Just so you know: **'Speaking!' and _Thinking_

**Nami's POV **(so _italics = Nami's thoughts)_

Nami groaned and opened her eyes. Where was she?...

The last thing she remembered was dropping from exhaustion after the battle along with the rest of the crew. So how did she end up in a soft, deliciously warm and cosy bed?

She took a moment to glance around the room. She noted the rest of her crew in beds lined up beside hers; Luffy was out on his back snoring, Usopp was drooling on his pillow, Chopper was curled up in a fluffy ball, Vivi was hugging Karu (A.N: That is the duck's name, right?), Sanji was kicking slightly in his sleep and Zoro… he was lying face down in the bed next to her with his hand holding onto her han-

Nami gave a small shriek and her hand shot away from his like lightning. He gave a small mutter in his sleep and rubbed his eyes.

_Oh, crap. He woke up. This is gonna be so embarrassing… _

Zoro sat up with a yawn, still rubbing his eyes. He looked round the room blearily, and his eyes caught her attempting-to-look-nonchalant face.

'Anyone else awake yet?' he grumbled to her, seemingly not noticing her embarrassment.

'Doesn't look like it,' she replied without meeting his eyes, secretly relieved that he hadn't been awake for the 'hand' incident.

Zoro shrugged and promptly got up – presumably to train, even though he was still injured.

Before he went, she sat up.

'Oi, Zoro,' she asked, 'where are we now, and how did we actually get here?'

He raised an eyebrow.

'At the Palace,' he replied. 'Cobra's men found us all. Most of us walked back, and the ones who couldn't were brought back by the guards. Um, except for you. You were really tired and your foot was apparently 'killing' you so I - ' he blushed slightly, 'I carried you back. That's all.'

He turned away and practically ran out of the door, leaving behind a blushing an embarrassed Nami.

_Geez, I remember now… I was being bitchy and complaining, so Zoro offered to carry me – why did I accept! Bridal style as well… not a piggyback like before. _

She sighed, and pressed her face back into her pillow. It was probably just better to forget about it.

…Right?

**Zoro's POV **(so _italics = Zoro's thoughts)_

Zoro sighed as he lifted the massive rocks, balancing one on each arm. It hurt his wounds, but he needed to get stronger. So it was worth it. Also, it gave him time to think about… things. Or rather, one thing; that thing being the annoying, bitchy, demanding and frustratingly _attractive_ woman that was Nami.

He rubbed the back of his head, forgetting there was a huge rock balanced on it. As a result of this, the rock crashed down just inches from him. He cursed mentally, and could almost hear her jeering laughter in his mind.

Why was she bugging him so much? He'd never felt like this about her – or actually _anyone, _for that matter. It was a new, uncomfortable feeling, and Zoro didn't appreciate it _at all. _

And she wasn't exactly helping, the way she was blushing and batting her eyelashes at him and practically demanding him to carry her _twice_ – it was almost like she was doing it on purpose.

And at the risk of sounding like that pervy ero-cook, she _was_ pretty. Not that Zoro really noticed that sort of thing; he was far too wrapped up in training and swordsmanship to worry about girls. But he did see her every day, and he just happened to notice that she wasn't ugly. That was all.

…Right?

**Okay, so only a short fic – and no kissing X3 **

**Maybe someday… **

**I know it doesn't really have much interaction, as it's more their thoughts and personal feelings, but I don't feel quite ready to write that sort of thing yet, if you see what I mean. I might add another chapter if I can work out how, but it'll probably take a while. Of course, then it won't be a one-shot, but meh. **

**Luffy: Aw, no kissing!**

**Dootsy: I'm surprised you even know what that is. **

**Luffy: Nami told me. Apparently it's sort of like eating, which means it must be something like MEAT! So it's **_**gotta **_**be good. 'Cause it's like meat, SEE?**

**Dootsy: *sweatdrop*… **

**Well, thank you for reading this fic, and please R&R! (That means Read and Review, right?) **

**Thank you! ;3**


	2. Chapter 2

**Right… so I added a new chapter (I think). I'm still really nervous about writing romancey-type stuff, but I'll give it my best shot.**

**Read and please do review! Arigato!  
Anyway, on with the story.**

**Remember:** 'Speaking!' and _Thinking_

**Nami's POV** (so _italics = Nami's thoughts)_

_He's staring at me._

Nami squirmed uncomfortably and attempted to avoid eye contact with the marimo sitting on the deck. The last thing she wanted was to glance into his eyes…

_Those rich green, thoughtful, mysterious, entrancing eye-_

Wait! What was she thinking! Nami blushed and gave a small cough. Since when had she started thinking about Zoro in such detail, let alone his _eyes_! She was behaving as if she had _feelings_ for him or something!

Visibly shuddering, she looked pointedly at the sea, trying her hardest to ignore the burning emeralds searing into her soul.

Of course, it wasn't going to be that easy. Oh, no. Of course he had to actually _get up_, walk over to her and peer in confusion at her face.

"What do you want?" Nami said irritably.

Zoro shrugged, and replied,

"Your face just looked a little red. I was wondering if you were sunburnt... not that I care!" he backtracked, seeing her gain a panicked expression.

Nami calmed herself, trying to rid of the blush staining her normally pale cheeks.

"Zoro…" she pondered aloud, halting him from his journey back to the deck.

"What, witch?" he grumbled. She frowned at him.

"You look fit in that shirt." She said blatantly.

"WHAT?"

Nami instantly went beetroot red, realising what she'd just said.

_Damn, I didn't mean to say that! I meant to tell him to mind his own business! Where the hell did _that _come from!_

She backtracked quickly.

"What I meant to say was – I mean, that shirt… shows that you're physically fit! Yes, that's what I meant! I mean, it's good to see the first mate's in good condition, right?" she all but stammered.

Zoro stared at her long and hard for a second, before responding with an incoherent mutter. He quickly spun around and stalked off to the gym.

_For a second there, I swear he said… Naw, he wouldn't have. _

Nevertheless, she couldn't help but think he'd replied with something along the lines of,

"Thanks. You look nice too."

But Zoro the ferocious, emotionless Pirate Hunter, complimenting somebody?

No way.

**Zoro's POV** (so _italics = Zoro's thoughts)_

Zoro sighed as he walked away. What was it about that witch that suddenly got him all flustered when he was around her? He'd never acted like that before – before, she was just a crewmate. Just nakama. Now, she was – well, something else.

He wasn't sure quite how he felt about her; but if how she was acting was anything to go by, she felt the same way as he did.

And that was not good. Similar emotions could only lead to one thing – _agreement_. And Zoro certainly knew he didn't want to agree on his feelings quite yet.

And why had he replied to her absurd statement? It was something the ero-cook would do; compliment a girl on her looks. Zoro had never complimented anyone on their looks before… in his opinion, if you were a good fighter, it didn't matter what you looked like.

Nami, however, was both – a good fighter _and _she had looks. Zoro sighed and left quickly.

By the evening, Zoro was left in a foul mood. That witch had contaminated his brain! Now, instead of counting while he was training, he'd nearly slapped himself when he realised he was thinking about how pretty her freaking _hair_ was! It wasn't on, and Zoro decided he'd have a word with her after dinner. Of course, that would give her sharp brain the chance to figure out his messed-up feelings; but it was worth it if it meant she'd stop invading his mind.


End file.
